H-1B visa 2026 cap reached: What selected & rejected Indians must do next

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has finished the initial selection process for the H-1B visa lottery for the 2026 financial year. On March 31, the agency confirmed that the annual cap of 85,000 has been reached and the lottery draw is done.

Employers and attorneys with selected beneficiaries have now been notified and can begin filing cap-subject petitions.

During the electronic registration period, USCIS received enough applications to meet both the regular cap of 65,000 and the additional 20,000 spots reserved for US master’s degree holders.